Mail-cart.



No. 881,178. I PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

- Q P. H. CUNNINGHAM.

MAIL CART.

APPLICATION F ILED FEB. 21, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M I r I 2 I 2mm HMO (M124 5 THE NORRIS PETERS co., wnsmucvmv c c 0a 0 9 1 0 l R A M D E T N E T A P M A Hm R A 0 NL I WA M H w APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FRANK H. CUNNINGHAM, OF

SOUTH OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

MAIL-CART Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

Application filed February 21, 1907. Serial No. 359,038.-

T 0 all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, FRANK H. CUNNING- 11AM, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain I new and useful Improvements in Mail-Carts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vehicles for delivering mail and particularly to the mode of mounting or hanging the body and thills of the vehicle by means of springs hereinafter described, thereby providing a simple and inexpensive means to overcome the disagreeable rocking motion. or vibration of the vehicle body caused by the movement of the horse and the conditions of the road.

I/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement and combination of parts, all as hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1, is a view in perspective of a vehicle constructed in accordance with my in vention. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the connection between the body and one of the thills constructed. in accordance with my invention. Fig. 3, is a detail showing one of the means for clamping and holding the thillsprings to the under side of the thills. Fig. 4, is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification of the connection between the body and thills. Fig. 5, is a view similar to Fig. 3, designed to carry the modified or flat thillspring instead of the round as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawings A, designates the vehicle body having the outwardly extending sides a, a.

B, designates the axle upon which are mounted and secured the elliptic carriage springs 1, which springs are further secured to the underside of the spring-bars 2, which are in turn secured to the underside of the outwardly extending or projecting sides a, of the body A.

C, designates the thills which are pivotally connected by means of the pins 3, to the shaft couplings 4, which are in turn rigidly secured to the axle B.

Secured to the forward end of the springbars 2, are the springs 5, which are provided with the loop 6, the opposite end 7, being secured to the underside of the thills C, near the axle B, by means of a bolt or the like 8. It will be observed that the ends 7, of the springs 5, are supported by means ofthe saddle-clips 9, which engage the thills C, the

springs 5 passing through the open 10, of the I motion; thus, when the horse is trotting, the

motion is entirely obliterated by the combination of springs 5, and 1, and leaves the body comparatively free from the up and down motion of the horse, and causing the cart to ride as easy and comfortable to the occupant as though he were in a buggy. The fact that the vehicle body A, is hung or mounted upon the spring-bars 2, from near the center of the body also assists in reducing to a minimum the horse-motion. The vehicle being hung in this manner and as clearly shown in the drawings, makes it difficult to upset, whichis one of the obstacles to be overcome in either the wagon or cart that is hung high or upon springs attached underneath the body and above the center of the wheels.

Referring to the modification as shown in Fig. 4, it will be observed that I employ a flat spring 13, having no loop but simply having the curved end 14, which is secured to the forward end of the spring-bars 2, the opposite end 15, being supported and secured to the thills in the same manner as above described. The opening. 10 of the members 11, in this case are designed to carry the springs instead of being round as is manifest. It will be readily seen that vehicles having the body and thills thus mounted or hung, will permit the thills to rock without communicating any of the motion to the axle and body.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a two-wheeled vehicle for delivering mail, consisting of a covered body, elliptic springs secured to the axle upon each side of the body and under the outwardly extending sides thereof for supporting said body, clips secured to said axle adjacent the lower side of said springs, thills having pivotal connection with said clips, looped springs secured to'each of the thills at a point near the axle and at their opposite ends to the forward ends of the spring-bars which are secured to the underside of the outwardly extending sides of the coveredbody and means secured to the thills for supporting the aforesaid loopedsprings.

2. In a two-wheeled vehicle, the combination of the body having the outwardly ex tending sides and. spring-bars secured to the underside thereof, the elliptic springs upon which said body is mounted, the lower sides of which are secured to the axle, the looped springs having rigid connection at their long ends to the thills and at their opposite ends to the forward ends of the spring-bars, the

pivotal connection between the thills and 15 FRANK Hv CUNNINGHAM.

\Nitnesses ARTHUR C. PANOOAST, EDNA B. WRIGHT. 

